I Hope They Taste of Me Forever

For so many months the answer had been no.

I wasn't ready. I wasn't capable. I wasn't allowed to go out.

Until now.

After much coaxing, and Andy and Joe's approval, we'd managed to convince Pete to let me go hunting with them. I was ecstatic. This would be my chance. I could test my skills on real vampires. Mannequins and targets can only go so far.

I'd told Patrick about Brendon's visit, too scared to face Pete's reaction myself. Good thing, too. He just about exploded when he found out. But that was months ago now. Time goes by so damn fast, doesn’t it? Security, especially on my window, has been upgraded and they now only leave the warehouse through underground tunnels that return to the surface at various locations. As far as I know, there hasn't been another Dandy encounter yet, but I wouldn't put it past the guys to hide it from me if there was. They'd done it before, they could do it again.

Anyway, I'm finally allowed to go with them. I'd been locked up in the warehouse for so long, and as soon as we emerged from a tunnel onto the quiet streets of Chicago I took in a deep, appreciative breath of the air. If this didn't go according to plan, who knows how long it would be before they gave me another chance? We walked in silence for a few streets. I was on my guard, but also just enjoying the freedom that I'd been granted. The first sign of anyone else was outside a strip club. We turned into the street and leaning against the wall by a door illuminated with neon lights, one of the lights flickering on and off, were three guys who'd clearly just paid, and three girls whose shifts had obviously just ended. They were getting their flirt on and didn't seem dangerous, so we walked on. I could feel the six pairs of eyes staring into our backs as we ignored them, but I didn't turn around. I just kept walking.

It was a long street, and after seven minutes more walking we found a small group of hoods. There must've been about five of them, all decked out in their 'I'm-so-chill-hip-hop-gangsta' clothes. Perfect. One for each of us. Two of them were girls, and as soon as Pete noticed this he clearly planned on having me fight one of them. Sexist. I could take on one of them guy motherfuckers. I think. But whatever; I'll take what I can get.

They didn't really pay us much mind. I'd say they'd already had their feed. Andy seemed intent on changing that, though.

"Hey bitch!"

One of the girls with her back to us turned around with insanely quick reflexes. She had beautiful dark hazelnut skin and her long brown and caramel hair was in a lot of braids. Her eyes shined golden, but they seemed to have a red rim around the iris as she bared her fangs. Andy was well-prepared though and the second she turned he had thrown a sharp stake with perfect aim at her chest. That, ladies and gentlemen, is when target practice comes in handy. She just had time to begin a screech before the pain hit and she crumbled to dust.

"Hunters!" one of the men grunted in a low hiss.

'No duh, thick-head.'

The guy's head snapped in my direction, eyes narrowed dangerously in a contemptuous glare. Shit. There they go again with the mind reading! Does that have an off button?

By the time I managed to stop being sarcastic and return to reality I realized that the fight had just broken out. Pete and the vampire that decided to state the ridiculously obvious were throwing punches at each other like it was going out of style, sending the other flying meters in the air sometimes, but I didn't have enough time to admire his fighting skills. Joe was entertaining a mix between trying to kill and flirting tauntingly with the other woman, and Patrick had sent his trapping contraption flying in the direction of one of the guys, who was soon tearing his way out of a net that Andy was running at, brandishing a stake above his head. And that left me to fend for myself against the evil bodybuilder type guy stampeding towards me. Guess I didn't have to take care of the girl then. This was my chance.

The vampire lunging at me let out an angry growl, which almost made me laugh at how Hollywood it sounded but I didn't have time for stupid interpretations. I swiftly duck out of the way just in time, leaving the guy confused for a second long enough for me to jump in the air and spin into a karate-like kick aimed at his lower abdomen. I know it probably didn't cause much damage, but the pain disarmed him for just enough time for me to whip a stake out of my belt. He snarled and cracked his knuckles before running at me again. I narrowed my eyes in concentration, positioning the stake, but before I knew it a stone-like force hit my left side and winded me for a moment. On the dirty street floor, I glared angrily at the body lying on the ground a few feet away from me. 'Wentz.'

"I got this," I said angrily as I jumped to my feet in time to see the vampire baring his teeth in my direction. Like, seriously. Stop showing off your damn fangs. Pete's are bigger anyway.

...

Notice how I said fangs. Just reminding you all in case you took that out of context and misinterepreted it the way Joe so clearly did.

I heard Pete yell my name but I paid him no mind as I leapt out of the vampire’s way, allowing him to run right into the brick wall behind me. Without hesitation, I drove the stake straight through his back, hopefully piercing his heart from behind. When he had transformed to ash a few seconds later, I knew that I had succeeded.

Wow. I'd just vanquished my very first vampire. What a rush!

I looked around to see the street once again empty apart from the five of us. The guys were looking at me with both shock and pride.

"Wow Elle, you did great!" Joe beamed, running over to me to give me a congratulatory hug.

"Yeah, for your first time that was amazing!" Patrick grinned.

"Nice." Compliment enough from Andy.

"Thanks guys," I grinned.

What can I say? I have a reason to be proud. I'd done it. If only Matt could see me now... I felt a small pang go through my heart. Every younger sibling feels the need to impress their older sibling. But mine had left me. My brother had left me and my parents had been taken from me. I don't have anyone to impress anymore. Would he even be proud of me? Probably not. He'd probably be pissed off at me for showing him up. Anyway, I don't want to think about him. It just makes me feel more alone. And the last thing I want is for Pete to read that in me.

Speaking of Pete, I snapped my eyes up to look at him. He was looking curiously up the roof of the building behind us, like he'd seen something. The others hadn't noticed, as they had already begun walking home.

"Pete?" I asked. "You coming?"

He shook his head out of his trance and looked at me.

"Yeah."

I waited for him to walk over to me before I turned and matched his pace. We walked with our heads bowed in silence, until he broke it.

"Elle?"

"Yeah?"

"You did do well tonight."

"Thanks."

And that was the extent of our conversation as we headed back to what I now consider home, unknowing of the familiar figure that had watched our every move that night.